Frozen and No Make-Up Challenges

It seems as if Disney's new movie Frozen has totally invaded my Facebook, Twitter, and every Wal-Mart in sight. Many have said that the movie is one of the best Disney movies in a long time. Even my older sister who doesn't particularly like animated movies enjoyed it. However, I have no desire to watch it for a couple of reasons.
The first reason is because of the name and the setting. Frozen. Why would I want to go watch a movie about an eternal winter when I am LIVING it!!? Thanks, Montana.
My next reason is for all the promotions misleading people to believe that Frozen is the first Disney movie to portray a girl who doesn't need a man to save her....Ummm, what about Mulan?? She saved a whole freakin' nation without the help of a man! And what about Meg from Hercules? She may have not been the hero in the story, but she had a whole song devoted to fighting her feelings of falling in love because she wanted to be INDEPENDENT from a MAN! All the leading Disney ladies have fantastic qualities that all girls of all ages should learn from, and I don't appreciate that Frozen is down-playing them.
Maybe someday I will finally watch Frozen, but for right now, I'm sticking with the classics.

Two more things that have been blowing up my news feed are the No Make-Up Challenge pictures as well as posts and articles showing the "challenge" in a negative light. Some of the No Make-Up Challenge pictures have hash-tags saying that they are in support of cancer awareness. This has obviously offended a lot of people. When I posted my No Make-Up Challenge picture, I was not aware that the challenge was associated with cancer awareness. I posted my picture partly for myself so that I could feel confident in my own skin, but mostly so that other girls, especially my younger Facebook friends, could see that you can be beautiful and feel confident with or without make-up. I wasn't fishing for compliments, I was only wanting to be a part of something that promoted real beauty and confidence, because that is the kind of role model I want to be for my nieces and anyone else who may be watching.

For those against it, that is your personal choice. But I don't think it is fair to belittle those who did decide to post their no make-up pictures, whatever their reasons. If they did it for themselves, maybe they needed it. If they did it in support of cancer awareness, at least they are making the effort to show their support. And if they didn't do it at all, that's just fine too. Why do people have to be so cynical about things?

These are just my thoughts; nothing more, nothing less. On a lighter note, for all those interested, I have decided to change my major to Secondary Education -Social Studies Broad-field. I'm also thinking that one day I might go on to graduate school for School Counseling. :) Hopefully this is my last major change. But we will see. :)

Things I Wish Someone Would Have Told Me . . . And a Few Other People

1. trimming your own bangs almost never turns out well
2. things aren't always black and white..in fact, they are hardly ever black and white, sometimes just crap and crap
3. don't believe everything you read or hear
4. there are two sides to every story...and then there is the truth
5. always check and make sure that you cannot see your hot pink undies through your white shorts before leaving the house 
6. assuming doesn't help anyone
7. think before you speak....and act
8. sometimes the quiet ones are the ones you should be worried about
9. when you don't know what you are talking about, stop talking
10. smile at people on the street and especially the grocery store clerk, it is not their fault your day has been crap
11. procrastination is an addicting drug 
12. be happy with you, you are all you got
13. if you are not finding humor in various things throughout your day, you are doing something wrong
14. your worst day can be considered a pretty decent day to someone else
15. it is okay to say, "no"
16. own up to your mistakes
17. don't be that guy who always has to prove somebody wrong. nobody likes that guy.
18. people are allowed to have different opinions than your own. let them. it doesn't make them weird. unless they collect their toe nails....then, yeah, they are pretty weird
19. make time for what you want to do
20. sometimes what is expected of you isn't what is best for you
21. never make anyone or anything the center of your life
22. your face looks 1000 times better with a smile slapped on it
23. never take anything too seriously, especially yourself

Thanks a Lot, Patrick Swayze

I'd like to take this moment to thank all the romance novels I've ever read, all the cheesy movies I've ever watched, and all the mushy love songs I've ever heard for totally screwing with not only my perspective, but the perspectives of every hormonal teenager out there about what "the perfect man" should be like.

So, thanks a lot, Prince Charming, for being so charming.
Thanks a lot, Harrison Ford, for being such an adventurous stud as Han Solo and Indiana Jones.
Thanks a lot, Ryan Gosling, for never giving up in "The Notebook".
Thanks a lot, Goo Goo Dolls and pretty much every male Country singer alive (especially you, John Michael Montgomery), for writing the best, and sometimes the cheesiest, love songs.
Thanks a lot, Channing Tatum, for taking your shirt off.
Thanks a lot, Adam Sandler, for writing a cheesy, adorable love song to propose to Drew Barrymore in "The Wedding Singer."
Thanks a lot, The Waltons, The Brady Bunch, and Leave it to Beaver, for being the perfect families.
Thanks a lot, Atticus Finch and Andy Griffith, for being so smart and understanding.
Thanks a lot, John Krasinski, for not only being nice to look at, but also for having an awesome sense of humor.
Thanks a lot, George Strait, for being so good looking and so romantic at at age.
Thanks a lot, Nicholas Sparks, for writing the best love stories with the sweetest male characters.

And to so many others, thanks for raising my expectations of "the perfect guy" so high that no man in real life could ever reach them.

It seems like lately I’ve forgotten how to pray...

I didn't write this for attention or to be sprayed with holy water, I wrote this for me. 


God has been a staggering concept for me all my life. 
When I was younger, religion always seemed forced. 

"Do this or you'll go to Hell."

"Be this or you'll go to Hell."

God was just a distant overseer you didn't want to anger or disappoint.

I went to all the bible schools, sang all the hymns, listened to all the bible stories, and folded my hands in prayer whenever it was expected. But what did it all mean?


As I got a little older, I went from fleeing from God when my life took a direction I wasn't prepared for, to later clinging to Him when things still weren't getting any better. 
I went to all the youth groups, bought all the Christian rock CDs, listened to all the testimonies, and folded my hands in prayer whenever it was expected. And for a while, I thought I had finally got it. But so many things still bothered me: 

Catholic vs. Protestant

Is the church too strict or too laid back?

What does it really mean to be a "Christian"?

Am I just being a hypocrite? 

And the biggest bother: Where was He?

Again I found myself stepping away from God. I couldn't understand why everything had to be so complicated. I hated the labels, the judgments, the arrogance, but most of all I hated that no matter what I did or how many times I tried surrendering myself and my life, I still couldn't "feel" the presence of God that so many preached about. 

So I gave myself breathing room to figure out what I believe in, 

and now I've found my own truths:

There is a God, a Creator. Every beautiful thing in and about life is the evidence.

He loves us very much.

This love looks past our inadequacies and mistakes by forgiving us again and again.

He expects us to screw up.

He understands much more about our actions than any of us give Him credit for. 
At times, it's okay to be angry with God.

I think people take religion too seriously. I know this because everyday we go around condemning each other. God doesn't hate the people we label "the whores", "the gays", "the cheats", because He knows them, He knows the "why". We give ourselves superiority over others when we don't even know the whole story.  And guess what? He understands that, too. 


I don't pray as much as I use to. I'm not even really sure when the last time I went to church was. Some might think that's a shame, most probably don't even care, either way it's none of their business. My relationship with God has a ways to go, but I'm in no hurry, and I don't think He is either. It's good we're both pretty patient. 

I know I'm a screw-up, and I love it. I think He loves it, too. 

Wal-Mart Lingerie Adventures

There's a good chance this post is going to make some people feel uncomfortable; and by "people" I mean males. So I'm just going to apologize in advance to all my male family members, male friends, and any of you random male Russians who always appear on my "Audience" page for some reason. But I feel like there are some issues surrounding the daily female life that need to be addressed - I'll try and keep it as clean and as painless as possible.


I decided long ago that I really hate buying undergarments. And not just because the selections usually make me feel like either:

A) A Middle-Aged Woman

B) A Teenybopper

C) A Stripper.

No, what I really hate about purchasing underwear and "what not" is the looks I might get from passerby-ers. I use to be really embarrassed by it. I'd hear a person walking by and then hide whatever article of clothing I was considering as if I was simply, you know, just hanging out in the undies aisle. No big deal.
Today, I realized how ridiculous that was. EVERYONE wears underwear...Well, most people anyway....It shouldn't be a big surprise that I do too! And, I'm sorry, but it's been pretty apparent I have the equipment required for bras since 6th grade, so me buying those shouldn't be such a big deal either!
Just be happy you know that I wear underwear.


As for checking out with feminine products, no longer will I be embarrassed then either! Female cashiers already know what I'm going through. So, no problem there. As for the male population of cashiers, just be grateful you DON'T know what I'm going through. Let's leave it at that.


I'd like to thank those of you who made it through this with me and apologize again to those just barely hanging on.

"On the pathetic scale, I'd say that's about a 7."

Sometimes, I get really tired of the sound of my own voice.
On the pathetic scale, I'd say that's about a 7. 
It's not that I talk too much, but sometimes these words just leap from my mouth without warning, and I just think, "Oh Kelsey, why?" 
What was I trying to prove? That I have 0 intelligence? 
And then of course I obsess over it, even though everyone else has long forgotten it. 


Maybe it's just a teenager thing. I hear things every day from others and I really wonder if they actually think that makes them cute or cool. Um, it doesn't. But maybe they're like me and don't realize how ignorant or just plain wrong what they are saying actually is, until after they say it. Maybe they kick themselves around over it just like I do. 
Maybe they just don't care. 


It's not just what I say out loud for others to hear that bothers me, but also what I keep inside for myself. It's like that saying: if a friend talked to you the way you talk to yourself, would they still be your friend? 
For me, I don't think so. 
I know I am way too hard on myself, and not even in a motivational way to push me along. 
I'm constantly telling myself I'm not good enough. 
Not pretty enough. 
Not smart enough. 
Not kind enough. 
Not thin enough. 
Not funny enough. 
How messed up is that? The one person that could be on your side cheering for you 100% of the time is yourself, and I'm no where close to that. Why does it have to be like that? And see, now I'm hating on myself again for another thing: not confident enough.


The difference between the things I say out loud and the things I say to myself is that I genuinely worry about the impact my words may have on someone else, directly or indirectly. It really is phenomenal how one negative comment can mess up someone's day - be it for humor or not, if you actually mean it or not.
I can take the digs at myself, what if they can't?


I know I need to put a filter on what I say, think before I speak. Not only out loud, but to myself as well. At the end of the day, we're all just doing our best. Or at least, I hope so. Everyone is who they are for a reason. I am who I am for a reason. I just need to accept myself until I find that reason. 

Breaking Insecurities

So, we all have them. Moments when we second guess ourselves, who we are, what we've done. Moments when we dig at every imperfection we see about ourselves. Many call these moments "girl moments", but I think boys have them just about as often - they're just more quiet about it. 


Anyway, I was just having a girl moment. A little voice inside my head obsessing over my appearances and actions, telling me I'm fat, ugly, stupid. How could anyone ever want me? Luckily, I have awesome friends like Kendra to snap me out of it and silence that darn little voice, if only for a little while. 


But I know before long, that little voice will rear its ugly little head again with all its criticisms bearing down on me, and I know I won't be able to call on Kendra to pull me out of it every time it returns (because, she has a life). Which is why I'm writing this, not only for myself, but also for others who need to hear the truth: that they are so much better than what that dumb little voice has to say. 

• No matter what is going on in your life, no matter how much it feels like the end of the world - it's not. Fortunately, the world keeps spinning, the sun keeps setting and rising, life goes on. It may be hard, it may even change your life (it might not), but it will eventually end, and when it does - let it. Don't forget, but also don't let it consume your life to the point where you forget how to live.
• You may not have "society's" opinion of the prettiest face or the skinniest waist, but that doesn't define your beauty. Who are they to decide what's beautiful and what's not? To me, the most beautiful person in the room is the one with a smile on their face. The one who treats everyone decent, how people should be treated. 
• There is someone out there for you. You might not find him/her tomorrow, the next day, or even a year from now, but don't give up - especially if you're still in high school. You have time. It'll happen when it is suppose to. It's okay to get jealous of your others with their boyfriends/girlfriends, but don't let it weigh you down. You'll have your time. Being single isn't the end of the world, you can get by just fine -  spectacularly even - without an "in a relationship" Facebook status.
•  Don't settle for anyone who treats you any less than you deserve. And believe me, what you deserve and what you think you deserve can be two completely different things. You deserve someone who loves you for who you are. Someone who will stand by you through the hard times. Someone who can make you laugh and comfort you when you need it. Someone you can have a good conversation with. Someone you feel safe with. Someone who doesn't hurt you (physically or emotionally). Someone who doesn't put you at 2nd place. Someone who knows they're lucky to have you, and reminds you of that every day. 
• Forgiving yourself can be the hardest thing to do, but it's also the most important. People make mistakes, from there you have to move on. No matter how bad the situation may seem, at the end of the day, you're still human. Apologize where apologies are due, but after that there's not much else to be done - except to learn from it.  
• Surround yourself with people you actually like. This is probably a no-brainer, but your friends should be people you enjoy being with. People who support you, laugh with you, and comfort you when you need it. If they don't do any of these things, you'll just end up being miserable. 
• Go easy on your family. There will be fights, most petty, but you have to get past that, and realize they're all trying. You didn't choose them, and they didn't choose you, but for whatever reason, you're stuck with them. Better to get past all the pettiness and forgive than to burn the bridges that matter most. 
• In a bad situation? Make it a good one. We all have to do things we don't want to, so you can either face it head on with a positive attitude, or spend the whole time complaining and miserable. Not every situation's going to be a gem, but take what you can from it while it's there, and you'll be a better person for it. 
• "Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive that is you-er than you!" The dead on the other hand....Just kidding. Dr. Seuss knew what he was talking about when he wrote this. You have to embrace who you are. Don't hide your true self off from the world, because that'd just be a waste of an amazing person! You're you for a reason, like having an effect on certain people. . . . hopefully a positive one . . . .And if you're afraid of being called "weird", take it from me, you're probably a lot less "weird" than you think. Besides, to the ones that matter, your weirdness won't be an issue. 

"Be confident. Too many days are wasted comparing ourselves to others and wishing to be something we aren't. Everybody has their own strengths and weaknesses, and it is only when you accept everything you are - and aren't - that you will truly succeed." 

- Unknown

♥